Aug 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) celebrates with right fielder Leody Taveras (30) and second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) after hitting a three run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Orioles vs Cardinals 7:45 EDT MASN/MASN+
The Orioles laid the smack down on the Cardinals last night with a 13-1 victory to kick off their nine-game road trip. It was an exciting win but let’s be honest: we are Orioles fans. We know that this means the Orioles will probably suffer a demoralizing loss tonight. Maybe a two-hitter? Or maybe they’ll have plenty of baserunners but strand them all until someone hits a too little, too late home run in the ninth inning.
I don’t want to think that way. But the Orioles did this to me. It’s not my fault. You understand.
But maybe, just maybe, the Orioles will build on their strong start and take the series tonight. They are facing solid righty Michael McGreevy, who has a 3.54 ERA in 25 starts this season. The good news is he does give up home runs (18 in 137.1 innings), and he’s not a big strikeout guy (6.2 K/9). McGreevy has been with the Cardinals for his entire short career; only Pete Alonso has ever faced him (o-for-2).
The Orioles will be looking for a strong start from Kyle Bradish who worked without his best stuff against the Yankees back on August 20th. He kept his team in the game but allowed a lot of baserunners and two home runs. His team lost, but not because of him.
Alonso is back at DH today with Samuel Basallo playing first base. With a righty on the mound, lefties Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers are both in the lineup. Coby Mayo starts the game on the bench.
Tyler O’Neill, who hurt his shoulder on his game-saving catch last Saturday, had an MRI yesterday and was diagnosed with a rotator cuff strain. Luis Vázquez will replace O’Neill on the roster, though as of 6:25 that move isn’t official. O’Neill hasn’t been on the IL since April, so I guess he was due.
Orioles lineup
Jackson Holliday (L) 2B Pete Alonso (R) DH Gunnar Henderson (L) SS Samuel Basallo (L) 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 3B Dylan Beavers (L) LF Leody Taveras (S) RF Colton Cowser (L) CF Carlos Narváez (R) C
Cardinals lineup
JJ Wetherholt (L) SS Iván Herrera (R) DH Alec Burleson (L) 1B Jordan Walker (R) RF Nathan Church (L) CF José Fermín (R) 2B Nolan Gorman (L) 3B Bryan Torres (L) LF Jimmy Crooks (L) C
The Los Angeles Kings won’t have to wait long to take center stage.
Their 2026-27 season will open on national television, with the Kings traveling to Colorado on Sept. 30 for a TNT matchup against the Avalanche. It’s a rematch of last spring’s playoff meeting, giving the Kings an intriguing opponent right out of the gate.
That game was already known. Now, the rest of the Kings’ national television schedule has been revealed.
Los Angeles will appear in 12 nationally televised games during the 2026-27 regular season, with its schedule spread across TNT, ESPN and ESPN+/Hulu.
Here’s how the full slate breaks down.
TNT
Sept. 30: Kings at Avalanche
Nov. 4: Kings vs. Sharks
Dec. 9: Kings vs. Sharks
The Kings will make three appearances on TNT, with two of them coming against the San Jose Sharks.
That pairing makes plenty of sense. The Kings and Sharks have developed one of the NHL’s more familiar West Coast rivalries, and San Jose now has one of the league’s biggest young stars in Macklin Celebrini.
The two California rivals will meet twice on TNT this season, adding another layer to what should be two highly anticipated matchups.
ESPN
Oct. 6: Kings vs. Panthers
The Kings will make just one appearance on ESPN’s main network this season, but it comes on an important night.
Los Angeles’ home opener against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 6 will be nationally televised, giving fans their first look at the Kings on home ice with the added spotlight of ESPN.
After that, the Kings’ remaining national appearances will come through ESPN+ and Hulu.
ESPN+ / Hulu
Oct. 22: Kings at Islanders
Nov. 10: Kings vs. Predators
Nov. 12: Kings vs. Islanders
Dec. 15: Kings at Red Wings
Dec. 22: Kings at Wild
Jan. 19: Kings vs. Kraken
Jan. 28: Kings at Flyers
March 11: Kings at Kraken
That gives Los Angeles eight games on ESPN+ and Hulu, making up the largest portion of its national schedule.
For Kings fans outside the Los Angeles market who already subscribe to ESPN+ for the NHL’s out-of-market package, these games will be available through that service. Fans inside the Los Angeles market, however, will have to keep the streaming-only nature of these matchups in mind.
In other words, there are going to be a handful of nights this season when the Kings aren’t simply a channel change away.
NHL Announces Six Start-Time Changes
Along with the national broadcast schedule, the NHL also announced several changes to the start times of Kings games throughout the season.
Here are the updated times:
Dec. 9: Sharks at Kings — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 15: Kings at Red Wings — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: Kings at Flyers — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 7: Avalanche at Kings — moved from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
March 11: Kings at Kraken — moved from 6:40 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
April 6: Kings at Ducks — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
So while the Kings’ national schedule isn’t exactly overflowing with ESPN appearances, Los Angeles will still have a dozen games receiving national exposure throughout the 2026-27 campaign.
And it starts with one of the most compelling matchups possible: a trip back to Colorado for a rematch with the Avalanche on opening night.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles in the seventh inning during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers look to get back in the win column as they take on the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Roki Sasaki faces A.J. Smith-Shawver.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 24: Luis Arraez #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park on August 24, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wisely decided to become extreme sellers at this year’s trade deadline, swapping six major-leaguers in five separate trades. While the players coming back are all in the minor leagues, besides reliever Anthony Molina, the ex-Giants are all over the playoff race. Here’s how these old friends are faring in their new homes.
Luis Arraez
The Giants second baseman is hitting almost exactly the same for the Philadelphia Phillies as he did for the Giants, slashing .305/.318/.439 in 20 games, compared to .324/.360/.440 (he’s walking less). The Phillies have gone 13-7 since trading for Arraez, including nine-game win streak (what’s that?). He still holds a comfortable lead in the race for the batting title, hitting .321, 14 points clear of Nick Gonzales.
Arraez has been hitting cleanup for the Phillies as protection for Bryce Harper, who seems to have been inspired by the Contact King by significantly cutting his rate of chasing pitches since Arraez arrived. Even shuffling their defensive alignment to accommodate Arraez at second base has worked, with Harper shifting to right field, Alec Bohm moving to first base, and Bryson Stott going to third.
Caleb Killian
The erstwhile Giants closer made only four appearances for the Phillies before going on the injured list with a left oblique strain. He had a nightmarish outing in his second appearance with the Phils, giving up four runs in the top of the 11th inning for his 7th loss of the season. He did get his fourth win in his final appearance in the City of Brotherly Love in an extra-inning win.
Robbie Ray
Robbie Ray has made four starts for the San Diego Padres, going 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA and going about five innings per game. It’s a small sample size, but the biggest change is that Ray has given up a home run about every five innings, as opposed to every eight innings with the Giants. He’s not working as far into games, which seems tied to walking about a third more hitters, as well as the Padres’ bullpen full of flame throwers.
The Padres remain a game up in the NL wild-card race, just ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Adding Ray could prove crucial for their injury-plagued starters, though they should be getting Joe Musgrove back soon.
Heliot Ramos
Former Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos has not had much success since joining the New York Yankees. He’s slashing .113/.230/.189 with 18 strikeouts in 16 games. Ramos has six hits in 53 at-bats, scoring one run and delivering just one RBI. It’s terrible timing for a Yankees lineup that already skews heavily left-handed with Aaron Judge out, but Ramos isn’t hitting anyone who throws with either hand right now.
Erik Miller
The Giants lefty specialist has been awesome for the Boston Red Sox. He’s thrown 10 1/3 innings and struck out a whopping 18 batters, walking three and giving up seven hits. He’s given up a single run, unearned, and hit one batter. Facing his old team last weekend, Miller got into one game and struck out Jonah Cox and Willy Adames in his one inning of work.
The Atlanta Braves have gotten solid work from Tyler Mahle, who is 2-1 in four starts with a 1.52 ERA. He got a no-decision after throwing six shutout innings in his first Braves start, and has gone at least five innings in each start, with 23 strikeouts against five walks. He’s stopped using his cutter as much and relied on a splitter more, while also benefiting from the Braves’ superior defense.
"I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was."
Ronald Acuña Jr's defense gets maligned a lot these days, but he gets Tyler Mahle out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 2nd thanks to this sliding catch pic.twitter.com/LDezk8ROD9
— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) August 23, 2026
It’s nice to see some beloved Giants succeed, and even some less beloved Giants do well. If anything, the better traded Giants do, the easier it might be to make future trades. It’d be nice to see Ramos pull things together, because someone from the 2026 Giants should get to enjoy the playoffs at least.
Jonathan Kuminga of the Atlanta Hawks in action during Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in New York City. The Knicks won 126-97. (Getty Images North America)
The Los Angeles Lakers lacked a versatile wing defender and Jonathan Kuminga provided a solution. All signs had pointed toward the talented youngster joining the Purple and Gold.
But the free agent forward signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. Kuminga became one of the final players off the market with training camp set to start next month.
Jonathan Kuminga of the Atlanta Hawks in action during Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in New York City. The Knicks won 126-97. (Getty Images North America) Getty Images
He will join Anthony Edwards and Lamelo Ball in Minnesota after being linked to the Lakers for a majority of the offseason.
According to Charania, Kuminga bypassed a longer contract from Los Angeles. The Lakers reportedly offered the talented wing a three-year deal, worth at least $12 million per season.
Both the Bulls and Trail Blazers were believed to have made an offer to the 23-year-old.
Instead, Kuminga is heading into the ice on a deal worth just $6 million per year. The only way the Lakers could have signed Kuminga was via a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, which would have required a three-year contract.
Kuminga opted for a shorter-term deal with the Timberwolves in order to have more control over his future, per Charania.
Over the last month, the Timberwolves persistently recruited Kuminga with Edwards being heavily involved in the process. Team president Tim Connelly traveled to Miami for a four-hour in-person meeting with Kuminga earlier this month.
In the end, Kuminga’s free agency was less about the money and more about the length of the deal.
Jul 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the home run dragon of the Toronto Blue Jays during batting practice before a game against the Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Game Two of Three with the Royals, who are now on a 9 game win streak. Ending it would be a good idea.
Also it would be nice if we were make fewer mistakes. Vlad throwing wide of first (he leads first basemen with eight errors, for a .990 fielding average). And Lukes….well, we’ve talked about that enough. Baseball is much better when it is the other team making the mistakes.
We are going to see a few different pitchers for the Jays today, putting to test the line about ‘if you use enough pitchers, sooner or later you are going to find the one that doesn’t have it today’. But we have done well on bullpen days.
Aug 26, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44) fails to catch a two-run home run by Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (3, not pictured) during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Phillies 6, Mariners 0
Breaking up the no-no: Jhonny Pereda, 0.01 WPA
A mistake pitch to the home-run leader: Bryan Woo, -0.38 WPA
The Atlanta Braves could secure a series win tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers that could go a long way in boosting confidence that the Braves are in fact a serious contender for the World Series.
AJ Smith-Shawver will be making his third start of the season having not surpassed 4.1 innings in start so far. Roki Sasaki is scheduled to take the mound for the Dodgers in the midst of a season where he is eating a ton of innings, but has struggled to keep runs off the board with a 4.42 ERA.
On paper this game should be the highest scoring of the three, but outcomes are rarely guaranteed in MLB. Follow along in the comments.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 26: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at State Farm Arena on February 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The long, long wait is over as Jonathan Kuminga has finally made a decision this offseason.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, he will not be coming to Los Angeles. Despite it seemingly being one of the best options available, Kuminga opted not to join the purple and gold, instead signing with Wolves, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Kuminga chose the Timberwolves over offers from the Lakers, Bulls and Trail Blazers — bypassing a similar starting role and $12M-plus annually over three years in L.A. to land in Minnesota for a shorter-term deal and an ability to have more control of his future, sources said. https://t.co/Nq9byvxkII
After a flurry of signings early in free agency, things downshifted quickly and drastically as everyone waited on Kuminga. Initially, the blame was put on LeBron James and the wait for his own decision. But weeks passed after LeBron went to Philly, and Kuminga still didn’t make a move.
The Cavaliers, often mentioned as interested in Kuminga, trading for Peyton Watson closed that door, leaving few remaining. As reported by Charania, along with the Lakers and Wolves, the Bulls and Blazers also were suitors.
Last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points per game while playing for both Golden State and Atlanta. His production was roughly equivalent between the two sides, though he was a bit more efficient with the Hawks.
For his career, he averages 12.5 points per game while shooting 33.2% from deep and 50.2% from the field. He also grabs 4.2 rebounds and hands out 1.8 assists per contest.
This leaves the Lakers with work to be done. Kuminga was the best wing option available on the free agent market and filled the need for an athletic forward. At the very least, LA will have to make a trade to shed at least one salary as they have 16 guaranteed contracts.
Most likely, they will look to consolidate multiple players with draft picks to try to fill the hole on the perimeter. They’ve also been searching the trade market for centers as well, so there’s still work to be done.
But there’s no getting around the fact that the Lakers wanted Kuminga and missed out on him. Whether it was his role on the team, the Lakers being unable to work out a trade or Kuminga wanting another crack at free agency next summer — something he would not have been able to do with a sign-and-trade with the Lakers — this is a miss. With relatively little time remaining before training camp opens, President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka will have to make some moves.
Colorado's next goaltending battle won't be taking place at Ball Arena. It could be decided a few miles away in Loveland, where two very different paths to the NHL are about to collide.
Ilya Nabokov arrives as one of the organization's most intriguing prospects, having openly talked about his goal of becoming the best goalie in the world. Trent Miner, meanwhile, has spent years working his way through the Avalanche system and finally got his opportunity in the NHL last season. Now, the two will share the crease with the Colorado Eagles, and both will have plenty to prove.
Nabokov has already started making his presence felt.
Optional skates are, by definition, optional. But the 23-year-old has been showing up to plenty of them at Family Sports Center lately, and he hasn't exactly been treating them like a casual morning workout.
On Wednesday, Sean Behrens, Alex Gagne and Matthew DiMarsico each got their fair share of chances against him. Nabokov turned away most of them, repeatedly flashing the athleticism and quick glove that made him such an intriguing prospect for the Avalanche.
It was only an optional skate in August, but Nabokov is clearly taking the work seriously.
The 2026-27 season will be his first full campaign in North America, giving Colorado its first real opportunity to see how his game translates to the smaller ice and faster pace.
Nabokov isn't your typical prospect.
Colorado selected him 38th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him the first goaltender taken that year. Before coming to North America, he had already won a Gagarin Cup and been named KHL playoff MVP with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
His résumé is impressive, but his game still has something to prove.
At 6-foot-1, Nabokov is smaller than most modern NHL goaltenders. His low stance makes him even more unconventional, but it also allows him to move quickly around the crease. His athleticism, lateral movement and ability to recover have been major reasons for his success.
The question is whether those strengths will hold up against NHL-caliber shooters.
Nabokov spent his final season in Russia trying to prepare for that transition, and his numbers weren't nearly as strong as they had been the year before. His save percentage fell from .923 to .901, while his goals-against average climbed from 2.22 to 2.74.
On the surface, it looked like a step backward. There was more going on than the numbers suggested, though, as Nabokov was also working to change parts of his game before making the move to North America.
Now he'll have a full season with the Eagles to see whether those changes were worth it.
And he'll have to do it while competing with a goaltender who has plenty to prove himself.
Miner has been part of Colorado's system for several years and has spent much of that time waiting for his opportunity. He finally got one last season, and he made it count.
In January, Miner recorded a shutout in his first NHL victory, stopping all 22 shots in a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. That made him just the 17th goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in his first NHL win.
Trent Miner is congratulated by Nathan MacKinnon and now former Av Jack Drury after collecting his first NHL win. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing
Miner also made the most of his limited NHL action. He appeared in four games for Colorado, going 1-0-3 with a 2.03 GAA and .933 save percentage.
His work with the Eagles was just as encouraging. Miner went 17-8-8 during the regular season before taking his game up another level in the playoffs, posting an 11-6 record with a 1.87 GAA and .925 save percentage as Colorado reached the Western Conference Final.
Nabokov has already made it clear how high he wants to climb. In May, he said he wants to be the best goalie in the world. That's an ambitious goal, but it also sends a pretty clear message to everyone competing with him for an opportunity.
Miner is going to have to work for it.
The two goaltenders will be teammates with the Eagles, but there won't be much room for either to coast. Nabokov is trying to prove he's ready for the next step, while Miner is coming off a season that showed he may already be closer to an NHL opportunity than previously thought.
That makes the Eagles' crease more than a simple prospect development situation. It's a competition between two goaltenders with legitimate reasons to believe they belong in Colorado's future plans.
For Nabokov, a strong season would show the Avalanche that the adjustments he made in Russia are translating and that he's moving closer to an NHL opportunity.
For Miner, it's another chance to prove that what he showed last season was just the beginning.
Neither can afford to assume the job will simply be handed to him.
And the competition could have consequences well beyond the AHL.
Colorado enters the season with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood expected to handle the NHL crease. Blackwood is under contract for four more seasons, while Wedgewood is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That makes this season particularly important for Nabokov.
If he takes over the Eagles' crease and thrives, Colorado could have an internal option ready to challenge for an NHL job when the next opportunity opens. If Miner continues to perform at the level he showed last season, he could make that decision considerably more difficult.
That's a good problem for the Avalanche to have.
The organization would much rather have two goaltenders pushing each other than wonder where its next NHL option is coming from.
But for Nabokov and Miner, this isn't simply about helping the Eagles win games.
It's about positioning themselves for what's next.
Nabokov wants to be the best goalie in the world. Miner wants to prove he belongs in the NHL. They'll be teammates in Colorado this season, but every start will carry some weight in a competition that could shape both of their futures.
The first battle will take place with the Eagles.
And when two goaltenders are fighting for the same opportunity, there may not be room for both to come out on top.
Aug 26, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The game got started early today— much to the relief of us East Coasters— and so did the Phillies—much to the relief of all of us. Kyle Schwarber doubled to begin the game, and Bryce Harper ensured he wouldn’t have to wait around on base for long, scoring the both of them with a gopher ball over the fence in left-center. Not content to simply have a homer, Harper decided to take one away, too, leaping to snatch a Julio Rodríguez ball out of the air to end the Seattle 1st. The seas remained treacherous in the second for Seattle and their starter, Bryan Woo, as the Phillies once more led off an inning with a double, this one courtesy of Bryson Stott; he was soon joined by Brandon Marsh via walk. Justin Crawford bedeviled Woo across nine pitches, four of them with two strikes, then singled to right to score Stott. Woo made the mistake of offering a fastball right down the middle to Schwarber, an event that can only have one conclusion; the only question was which fan would take home the souvenir. The score was 6-0, and Schwarber had become the first player to hit 40 homers in the 2026 campaign.
While Woo wondered if someone in the Seattle lineup might’ve shot an albatross (bad luck for sailors), Jesús Luzardo had sunny skies and fair winds, navigating the first four innings without allowing a hit. He walked Randy Arozarena to open the fourth, then struck out the next two Mariners and induced a fly out from the third. It looked, for a moment, like his first surrendered hit would come on an infield single in the 5th, as J.P. Crawford chopped one to Trea Turner such that only a heroic throw would beat him. But Turner did indeed make such a throw. Alec Bohm was pulled far enough off the bag that the Mariners thought they might be able to get it overturned; review upheld the call. In the end, the ball that finally beat Luzardo wasn’t a homer or an infield single, but just an ordinary line drive hit, in this case at the hands of Jhonny Pereda.
The Phillies put their first two batters of the sixth aboard (Bohm and Stott, both via single). The inning ought to have ended on a double play, but a high throw from keystone man Brock Rodden on the relay instead put the Phillies in a two-out, runners at the corners situation. Seattle didn’t pay a price for the mistake, ending the inning on a ground out soon after.
Luzardo’s day ended after the 7th, with his final line being one hit, three walks, nine Ks, and no runs. Tim Mayza took the 8th, and the Mariners fared no better against him than they did against Luzardo. They fared slightly better against Jhoan Duran in the 9th, in that they did get a hit against him. But they didn’t get anything else.
The Phillies are 74-60. They’ll return to action Friday night against the Angels.
Tristan Peters has gone deep in four straight. Can he make it five? | (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
After a much-needed offensive outburst on Tuesday, the White Sox are back at it, looking to capture their second straight series with another victory tonight.
Last night’s win kept the South Siders clinging to a 2 1/2-game edge in the AL Central, with the Guardians refusing to go away after stealing one in extra innings out in Anaheim. Cleveland is on a roll, going 8-2 over its last 10 and riding a six-game heater, while the South Siders have been stuck in neutral at 5-5. It’s time for the Good Guys to string together a streak of their own, and after dropping 11 runs yesterday, there’s no better time to start.
The White Sox will send Sean Burke to the bump. After an outstanding July in which he went 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in five appearances, Burke has come back to Earth a bit in August. The righthander is 0-1 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over four outings this month, and he has failed to make it through the fifth inning twice. With the Guardians refusing to cool off, the Sox could use both length and a return to July form from Burke tonight.
Burke’s Baseball Savant profile provides a fairly clear blueprint for how he can succeed. His four-seam fastball has been his greatest weapon, ranking in the 97th percentile in run value, while his cutter sits in the 87th percentile. Those two pitches have helped his overall fastball run value reach the 97th percentile. Burke also ranks well in chase rate, strikeout rate and walk rate, so his best path against Texas will be to establish the fastball, get ahead and use the cutter to keep hitters from sitting on the four-seamer. His breaking pitches have been much less effective — including a curveball in the 21st percentile in run value — and his low ground-ball rate makes mistakes particularly dangerous. Against a Rangers lineup with several potent bats, Burke cannot afford to fall behind and leave hittable pitches over the heart of the plate.
Texas will counter with lefthander MacKenzie Gore, who joined the Rangers in a January trade with the Washington Nationals and has settled into the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Jacob deGrom. Unlike Burke, Gore has been at his best lately, compiling a 1.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across four August starts. His Savant numbers largely support that success: His four-seamer ranks in the 98th percentile in run value, while his changeup sits in the 83rd percentile and his slider in the 74th. Gore can miss bats and collect strikeouts, but the contact he allows gives the Sox a possible opening. He ranks in only the 23rd percentile in hard-hit rate and the 25th percentile in barrel rate, while his cutter and curveball sit in the 17th and 10th percentiles, respectively, in run value. The Sox will need to avoid chasing his best secondary pitches, force him into the zone and be ready to punish the cutter or curveball when either catches too much of the plate.
Miguel Vargas and Tristan Peters have led the regulars offensively over the last seven days, with Peters entering tonight after homering in four consecutive games. Meanwhile, Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami continue to struggle, and with the southpaw on the mound, Colson will get the night off. Gore’s four-seamer and changeup can both produce excellent results, so Chicago’s hitters cannot simply hunt fastballs and expect another output like Tuesday. Patient at-bats and damage against his weaker offerings will be essential if they want to keep the offense rolling.
The Rangers present a much different challenge at the plate, with four players batting better than .300 over the last seven days. Ezequiel Duran leads the way, hitting the cover off the ball with a .476/.577/.810 slash line and 1.387 OPS over that span. Burke has the weapons to slow down this lineup, but his fastball command will need to be sharp from the opening pitch.
Another win would secure the series and, more importantly, allow the White Sox to begin building some momentum of their own while the Guardians remain directly on their heels.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on CHSN and can be heard on ESPN 1000.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 24: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers makes a catch at the wall during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 24, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 21: Elmer Rodriguez #71 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Yankee Stadium on June 21, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees lost in gut-punch fashion last night, the offense continuing to claw their way out of the summer swoon by putting up seven runs, only to see the bullpen blow multiple leads en route to a loss to the Astros, 9-7. The bats face a tougher test today relative to yesterday’s replacement level starter Ethan Pecko, Peter Lambert leading all Astros pitchers with 2.1 fWAR.
Elmer Rodríguez got the call up back to the big leagues as the Yankees weather the injury absences of Max Fried and Ryan Weathers. He last pitched in the majors on June 21st, giving up three runs in four innings against the Reds. He has pitched well in the intervening nine starts at Triple-A, with a 2.13 ERA across 46.1 innings thanks to an uptick in sinker velocity and curveball usage rate. In four starts with the big league club, Rodríguez is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA, 5.14 FIP, and ten strikeouts in 17 innings.
After four seasons with the Rockies and a year with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of NPB, Peter Lambert is finally finding a lane in the majors in his age-29 season. Signed from Japan on a minor league deal over the winter, Lambert manufactures success with the uncertainty generate from his expansive seven-pitch arsenal rather than possessing any one good pitch. He leads with a four-seamer that averages 94 mph before throwing a kitchen sink of changeups, sliders, cutters, sinkers, sweepers, and slurves. In 22 starts, Lambert is 8-7 with a 3.68 ERA (113 ERA+), 3.80 FIP, and 120 strikeouts in 122.1 innings.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Yankees roll out the exact same lineup that broke out for seven runs last night. Luis García Jr. and Cody Bellinger each homered and drove in three, the former as part of a four-hit night. Every member of the starting lineup reached base last night, only Trent Grisham and Austin Wells failing to register a hit.
The Astros meanwhile make a pair of changes to their lineup from last night. Catcher Yainer Diaz went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs, so it’s a relief to see him on the bench with Christian Vázquez taking his place behind the plate. Cam Smith collected a triple last night after entering as a pinch-hitter and he gets the start tonight over the man he replaced, LaMonte Wade Jr.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: Amazon Prime Video, Space City Home Network
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM (HOU)
Draymond Green bashes early "naysayers" if Klay Thompson doesn't perform up to expectations.
The expectation for Klay Thompson is to be an impactful piece for the Miami Heat this year, but it also comes with the question of, “Has father time truly caught up with the former Splash Brother?”
With the possibility of Thompson not performing as well as he did with the Golden State Warriors during the first 11 years of his career, his former teammate, Draymond Green, sounded off on any perceived expectations.
“I don’t like how everybody is trying to act like ‘It’s Klay Thompson,” Green said on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “… The reason I don’t like it is because I feel like everybody is trying to set Klay up for failure.”
Miami Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra introducing Klay Thompson as a member of the Heat. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
“I’m going to say it here right now. Let’s stop acting like it’s 2017 Klay going to Miami.”
Green went on to say he wishes that Thompson’s move to Miami was viewed like Ray Allen’s, when he joined the Heat in 2012.
“That’s the role I’d expect of Klay,” Green said. “Don’t try to set my brother up. Like you’re about to get the 2017 Klay, so the moment you don’t, y’all can bash him.”
Thompson returned to the basketball court in January 2022, but has never looked like his old self, as he’s struggled to be the dominant scorer he once was.
In 2024, his inability to shoot behind the three-point line resulted in him being benched by the Warriors, which would later result in his departure from the team when the season concluded.
Draymond Green and Klay Thompson as teammates with the Golden State Warriors in 2022. USA TODAY Sports
Last year, Thompson appeared in 69 games for the Mavericks, but only started in eight games, and shot a career low of 38.3% from the three-point line.
“He’s going into year 16 of his career; we obviously know the injuries he’s faced,” Green said. “Yes he is going to provide shooting, because he shoots the lights out of the ball, and when he’s 60, he’ll be able to shoot the lights out of the ball.”
But the four-time NBA champion wanted to ensure realistic expectations are being set for his former teammate.
